Playwright Timeout 30000ms Exceeded: What It Means and How to Fix It

If you've encountered the "timeout 30000ms exceeded" error, you're not alone. This error is one of the most common issues in Playwright testing, and it can be frustrating to debug.

Let's dive deep into what this error means, why it occurs, and how to resolve it.

Understanding Playwright Timeouts

Before we tackle our specific error, it's crucial to understand the different types of timeouts in Playwright.
This knowledge forms the foundation for effectively diagnosing and resolving timeout issues.

Decoding the "Timeout 30000ms Exceeded" Error

When you encounter this error, Playwright informs you that your test execution exceeded the default 30-second time limit for the Test Timeout.

This could happen at any point during the test, so let's talk about the common causes of this error.

Common Causes of Timeout Errors

1. Slow Test Execution

Your test might simply be too slow to complete within 30 seconds.

This is particularly common in CI/CD environments, where execution times can be significantly longer than on local machines.

Factors such as system resources, network latency, and concurrent processes can contribute to slower execution times in these environments. If you run your test several times and it fails at a different point with a "timeout 30000ms exceeded" error on every re-run, it means that 30 seconds wasn't enough to complete it.

2. Incorrect Locators

If the Playwright can't find an element using the provided locator, it will continue searching until the test timeout is reached.

This can be especially problematic in long, end-to-end tests where a single incorrect locator can consume the entire test timeout.

Incorrect locators can result from dynamic content, timing issues, or simply outdated selectors. If you run your test several times and it fails at the same point with a "timeout 30000ms exceeded" error on every re-run, most likely the problem is with the locator.

Examine the error message. It has a clue! A grayed-out text tells you where to look.
Here is an example of a timeout exceeded when the locator was not found:

3. Slow Backend Responses

If your application's backend is slow to respond, your tests may timeout.

This is often seen with API endpoints that have long processing times or database queries that take longer than expected.

In such cases, Playwright may timeout while waiting for the application to reach a testable state.

Strategies to Resolve Timeout Errors

Now that we understand the causes, let's look at some solutions:

1. Adjusting Timeout Duration

You can increase the timeout at various levels: framework level, hook level, and individual test level.

At the framework level, you can set a timeout for every test to be the same, and it's configured in the playwright.config.ts file.

import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';export default defineConfig({  timeout: 60000, // Sets a 60-second timeout for all tests});

You can also set a timeout at the beforeAll/beforeEach hook for the particular test suite or for individual tests

import {test} from '@playwright/test';test.beforeEach( async ({ page }) => {    test.setTimeout(40000) // Sets a 40-second timeout for all tests    await page.goto('/')})test('hello', async ({ page }) => {    //this test can run up to 40 seconds});test('world', async ({ page }) => {    test.setTimeout(60000)     // Sets a 60-second timeout only for this test});

2. Optimizing Locators

Ensure your locators are accurate and efficient. Consider using user-facing locators instead of IDs, CSS, or other, more complex and less reliable selectors

Instead of:

await page.locator('button.submit-form').click();

Use:

await page.getByRole('button', {name: "Submit"}).click();

3. Mocking Slow Endpoints

For tests affected by slow and unstable backend responses, consider mocking these slow endpoints. This technique can significantly speed up tests by bypassing actual API calls.

await page.route('**/api/slow-endpoint', route => {  route.fulfill({    status: 200,    body: JSON.stringify({ data: 'mocked response' })  });});

Best Practices for Handling Timeouts

• Use specific timeouts: Instead of relying on the test timeout for everything, set specific timeouts for actions and navigations when necessary.

• Configure the framework to have a separate timeout for CI/CD execution and the local environment

• Do not set a too-long default timeout in the framework configuration. For slow or long end-to-end tests, configure a timeout at the test level

• Use Locator Assertions instead of Generic Assertions. Use them for anything web-related. Locator assertions have their own timeout.

To learn more about Locator Assertions, check this blog post which explains them in detail.

Conclusion

The "timeout 30000ms exceeded" error, while frustrating, is often a symptom of underlying issues in your tests or application.

By understanding the various types of timeouts, identifying common causes, and implementing targeted solutions, you can create more robust and reliable Playwright tests.

Remember, increasing timeouts is often a band-aid solution. The goal should be to optimize your tests and application to perform within reasonable time frames.

With these strategies and best practices, you'll be well-equipped to tackle timeout issues and improve the overall quality of your Playwright test suite.

Want to use the Playwright framework like a pro? Check out the Playwright UI Testing Mastery program. It covers all necessary topics, including the timeouts and auto-waiting mechanism, so you will learn how to create efficient automation frameworks from scratch.